Survey with financial directors of small and mid-sized businesses reveals 31% believe the cloud is making enterprise resource planning more flexible

A YouGov Survey released by Sage UKI shows that cloud computing is making enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology, traditionally big business territory, a more workable tool for small and mid-sized businesses.

The survey, conducted with financial directors of small businesses in the UK, shows that 31% of directors felt that the cloud made ERP more flexible, with 30% stating it was now more affordable. Furthermore, those surveyed believe that the cloud’s influence on ERP will have an effect on the future of their business, with 27% believing that it will increase return investment.

Though the above figures were encouraging, there is still uncertainty among small and mid-sized business towards ERP. 35% of the survey’s respondents still view ERP as a big business domain, with 51% saying they view ERP to be too expensive.

However, Sage UKI’s small and medium division MD, Steve Attwell, believes that eventually most obstacles will be removed as cloud software transforms ERP and opens up further opportunities for small and mid-sized business:

“Some firms have faced difficulty in the past from costly and cumbersome ERP projects, but it’s positive to see that firms are quick to recognise the cloud’s potential to revolutionise ERP. While online solutions may not be right for everyone, we can anticipate many firms considering cloud ERP as a potential replacement for aging core systems as they look to unlock the power of the web.

“We are on the brink of a new era for ERP… what this study shows is that the cloud is breaking down barriers and making ERP a more accessible, viable option for small and growing firms.”

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